Non-refillable bottle.



J. L. SELLAR.

NON-REFILLABLE BOTTLE.

APPLIUATION FILED JUNE 1o, 1913.

1 ,108,099. Patented Aug. 18, 1914.

J-ola g5.

THE MORRIS PETERS Cav PHoTo-LITHO.. WASHINGTON. u. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOI-IN L. SELLAR, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR OF TWO-THIRDS TOHENRY CASTELBERG, BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

NON-REFILLABLE BOTTLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 18, 1914.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, JOHN L. SELLAR, a citizenof the United States, residing at Baltimore, in the State of Maryland,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Non-RefillableBottles, of which the fol lowing is a specification.

This invention relates to a non-refillable bottle.

The object of the invention is to provide improved means for preventingbottles that have been emptied of liquid contents, and which bear wellknown names, brands or labels, from being refilled with inferiorimitations of the genuine liquid originally contained in the bottle.Heretofore in using bottles of this character, where a valve isemployed, it has been found that the liquid contents of the bottle, bywetting the valve and valve-seat whenthe bottle is tilted, willfrequently have the e1i`ect, after suchbottle has stood upright for atime, to stick the valve tightly to its seat. When this has occurred thevalve will not open when the bottle has been tilted, and of courseliquid will not pour from a bottle thus disabled. An object therefore ofthis invention is to provide valved bottles with means whereby, when aperson is about to dispense or pour out liquid, he may first loosen andmove the valve or valves to insure that the valve will open by tiltingthe bottle.

The several parts comprising the mechanical means which preventrefilling the bottle, and also the parts which enable a stuck valve tobe loosened, should be made preferably of porcelain, because suchmaterial is innocuous to liquids of any kind. A cap plug is providedwhich closes the bottle mouth and which is so arranged with respect tothe valve that by moving the cap plug a valve may be moved and if stuckwill be loosened.

In the drawing which illustrates the construction of the improveddevice, Figure l is a vertical section of the neck of a bottle and themechanical parts inclosed in the neck, and shows the cap in closedposition on top. Fig. 2 is a top view of the bottle neck as seen whenthe cap plug has been removed. Fig. 3 is a horizontal cross-section ofthe bottle neck on the line 3 3 showing the movable weight. Fig. 4 is ahorizontal cross-section on the line 4 4 showing the bottle-neck andpart of the float-valve. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the floatvalve, after the buoyant or cork part has been removed.

The bottles to which this improvement is applicable may be of anywell-known shape, and should have a neck whose throat or passage issubstantially straight.

A tubular porcelain shell comprises three sections, a, b, c, which aremade as separate pieces, and when assembled inclose the valve and otherparts-the two lower sections of the said shell being inserted in thebottle neck. The top section, a, of the tubular shell projects above thebottleneck, l, and may rest thereon. This top section has an open centeror mouth, 2, that receives the plug, 3, that depends from the cap, 4; acork sleeve, 5, surrounds the plug and when the bottle is closed thissleeve fits snugly within the said mouth, 2, and the cap, 4, and itsplug, 3, may be turned or rotated. The lower side of the plug, 3, has asquare socket, 13, which serves a purpose that will be presentlyexplained. The top section, a, also has crosswise of its mouth ahorizontal diaphragm, 6, provided with a round center opening, 7, andaround its largest part is provided with a plural number ofsegment-shaped openings, 8, from which latter the liquid will pour. Thediaphragm serves as a baille. The said center-opening, 7, is closed by arotatable spindle, 9, having a squared upper end, 10, and a squaredlower end, 11. This round spindle also has a surrounding flange, 12',that sustains the spindle. When the cap, 4, is in its closed position,as in Fig. l, the socket, 13, fits down over the square upper end, l0,of the rotatable spindle. It will be seen that if the cap, 4, thatcloses the bottle should be rotated by a persons hand, the effect willbe to cause the spindle, 9, to also rotate.

The interior of the tubular porcelain shell has an inward projectingannular flange, 3a, below the saidsegment-shaped openings, B; thisflange will prevent a Wire or ot er iii-j strument that might beinserted downward through either of said openings, 8, from reaching anymovable part within the tubular shell.

The interior chamber space of the second section, incloses both a iioatvalve, 14, and a movable weight, 15. The movable weight has around itscircumference a number of vertical studs, 1G, which contact loosely withthe inner' surface of the shell, and these studs form around the weightample spaces, 17, through which liquid in the bottle may pass out. r1`heweight, 15, is made of porcelain and has a square vertical opening, 18,entirely through its center. The upper part of this opening receives thesquare lower end, 11, of the rotatable spindle 9, and the lower part ofthe square opening receives the upper projecting square end, 19, on thestem, Q1, of the fioat-valve, which latter is thus loosely connectedwith the weight, 15. The said weight has a limited up-and-down orsliding movement independently of the valve, 111, without disconnectingtherefrom but the weight can rotate only when the valve also rotates.The structure of this float-valve is shown in Figs. 1, l and rllhe valveis circular like a disk and has lateral prongs, 22, around itscircumference; the stem, 21, projects upward from the disk part of thevalve, 1li, and a cylindric piece of cork, 23, like a sleeve, takestightly around the lower part of said stem and sets on top of the diskpart; this cork has suflicient buoyancy to cause the said valve to floatin liquid when the weight, 15, is not resting on the cork. The upperend, 19, of this valve-stein projects above the cylindric buoyant body,23, and loosely enters the opening in the weight, 15.

1f an empty bottle should be inverted the valve, 14, would unseat andopen the port, 20; if, under these conditions, an attempt should be madeto rell the empty bottle with liquid by using a tube and pump, or byother' means, the result would be that when liquid entered through thenozzle, (the bottle being upside down,) and surrounded the cork andvalve, 14:, the buoyancy of the cork, 23, would lift the valve and closethe port, 20.

From the foregoing description it will be understood that provision ishere shown for a mechanical connection `between the top cap, 1, thatcloses the mouth of the bottle, and the valve, 14, that closes the port,20. By this mechanical connection when a person is about to pour liquidfrom the bottle, he may first loosen the valve, 1-1, on its seat toovercome any sticky or cohesive condition that might otherwise keep thevalve on its seat, and then on tilting the bottle the said valve willcertainly freely open or unseat, and thus a difliculty that hasheretofore been experienced is overcome.

It should be stated that 'the spindle, 9, im-

mediately below the diaphragm or baffle, has a groove, 35, around itsexterior; and a ring, 36, has a split or cut that enables it to besprung open and take position into the said groove, 35; the entirecircumference of this ring projects from the groove, 35, below thebaille and thereby the ring prevents the spindle, 9, from being lifted,raised or removed from the said baille.

The upper portion of the third or lower section, c, of the tubular shellhas its eX- terior reduced in size, as at, 37, and this smaller end isslipped into and tightly ts the lower end of the second section, b, asshown in Fig. 1. The interior of the lower section, c, comprises acircular chamber whose upperl end is reduced as at, 24, and in the saidreduced part is the top opening or valve-port, 2 which communicates withthe chamber of the second section above. A ring, 25, has a relativelylarge center opening or port, 26, and this ring closes the bottom end ofthe third shell section, c. A. gravity valve, 38, occupies the chamberof the said lower section and closes the port, Q6, at the lowermost partof the chamber. This valve has a center upward-projecting stem, 39,whose upper end enters the lower part of the valve-port, 20, directlyabout it; but as the diameter of said stem is much smaller than saidvalve-port the liow of liquid outward is not interfered with. rllheadvantage of this high stem is that if the bottle should be upset thehigh stem, 39, with its upper small end in the large port, 20, willprevent the valve from reversing its position relative to the chamber itoccupies, and thus insures that the valve will be restored properly onits seat and close the port, 26, when the bottle shall be again standingon its bottoni. The said valve, 38, is also provided with wings, 40,which when the bottle 4is greatly tilted, or turned upside down, willcontact with the reduced portion, 24, at the upper end of this lowerchamber and still allow liquid to flow out.

Each valve, 1/1, and, 38, has a concavebottom, 31, that forms around thecircumferential edge at the bottom of the valve a circular bead or seat,32, which construction minimizes the liability of the valve-bottom tostick fast to the seat around the port. These valves, when the bottlestands upright, will automatically seat themselves when the bottlestands upright.

No mechanical means connecting from the top cap, or other part adjacentthe bottle-mouth or nozzle, to the lowermost valve, 38, is shown, forthe reason that this particular valve, if it should stick on its seat,can be loosened by tilting the bottle suddenly and thereby cause theliquid to be thrown directly against the bottom of the valve, 3S, andforce it off its seat.

To assemble the parts of this device, the

upper or nozzle section, a, (of course with the cap, 4, removed) should.have .the spindle 9, placed in the center opening, 7, of the bafiie andfastened there by the split ring, 36; then the second tubular section,Z), has its top end entered into the circular rabbet of the firstsection and cemented fast. The loose weight, 15, should then be insertedinto the bottom of the second tubular section and its vertical squareopening, 18, connected loosely onto the square lower end, 11, of thesaid spindle; the fioat valve, 14. should then be inserted. The upperend of the third or lower section, 0, should have its reduced part, 37,inserted into the lower end of the second section, b, and there securedby cement. Then the lowermost valve, 38, should be placed into thechamber of said third section, and finally the valve-port ring, 25,should be inserted and cemented. This completes the assembling of theparts into the tubular shell.

To apply this device to a bottle filled with liquid, a shell comprisingthe three chambered sections, a, Z), c, and having all the internalparts properly assembled, should be inserted down into the neck of abottle filled with the desired liquid. A small space may be formedwithin the bottle neck and around one of the tubular sections, for thereception of cement, 42, which when hardened will hold the tubular shellfast and tight in said bottle-neck. The cap, 4, may now be put inposition as seen in Fig. 1, and the plug, 8, and cork, 5, will ll thenozzle or mouth.

To turn liquid out of the bottle, first remove the cap, and then theliquid contents of the bottle may be partly or entirely emptied, but thebottle can not be refilled.

1f the valve, 14, should happen to stick fast to its seat it can beloosened by applying suitable means to the spindle, 9, and turning saidspindle. The square upper end, 10, of this spindle is exposed in the toppart of the bottle-neck, and is there accessible. The cap itself has asocket, 13, that applies to said spindle end, 10, and by turning the capthe spindle will turn and the valve, 14, will be loosened if stuck.

The parts of this device which prevent refilling can not be removed fromthe bottle neck without breakage, and as all of said parts are designed.to be made ofy glass or porcelain they will be innocuous, tasteless andharmless to all kinds of liquids particularly to brandy, whisky, gin,wines, cordials and sauces..

Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is 1. The combination of a bottle-neck: a tubular shellfitted within said bottle-neck and forming the walls of a chamber whosebottom is provided with a port opening; a diskvalve seating over saidport opening, and said valve having an upward-projecting stem and alsoprovided with a cylindric buoyant body fitting around the said stem butleaving its upper end projecting above said body; and a weight inclosedin said chamber and movable longitudinally independent of said body andvalve but rotatably connected therewith by said stem projection.

2. rlhe combination of a bottle-neck; a tubular shell fitted within saidneck and projecting above; a baiiie diaphragm within the tubular shell;a valve and port below said diaphragm for permitting the outflow ofliquid but preventing its inflow; 'a removable cap that closes thedischarge mouth and which is free to be turned or rotated while in itsclosed position, and means connecting the cap and said valve, wherebyupon turning the cap the valve may be loosened.

3. The combination of a bottle-neck; a tubular shell projecting abovethe bottleneck and having a discharge mouth; a diaphragm Xed within theshell below said mouth and said diaphragm forming at its upper side aspace within the top part of the shell and said diaphragm havingopenings; a removable cap closing the discharge mouth said cap beingentirely removed when pouring liquid from the bottle; a valve-seat belowthe said diaphragm and having a port for the outflow of liquid; a valvenormally on the seat and which opens and closes said port when a tiltingmovement of the bottle occurs; and means communicating from the said topspace above the diaphragm to the said valve below for loosening thevalve should the latter become stuck to its seat.

4. The combination of a bottle-neck having at its top a mouth; a valveand port structure within the said neck-said valve being free to openand close by the tilting action of the bottle; a rotatable spindlemounted in the bottle-neck; means connecting the spindle with the valve;and a cap closing the mouth of the bottle-neck and said cap beingconnected with the rotatable spindle, whereby the valve may be loosenedby turning the cap.

5. The combination of a bottle-neck; a spindle in the neck; a cap whichcloses the mouth of the neck, connects with spindle and has a rotarymovement; a valve and port structure inclosed in the neck-said valveprovided with an upward-projecting stem; and means movablelongitudinally in the bottle-neck and which forms a loose couplingbetween the said spindle and the stem of the valve.

6. The combination of a bottle-neck; a disk-valve having an upwardprojecting stem and closing a port; a buoyant body In testimony whereofI ax my signature 10 attached to said valve but leaving the uppel* 1npresence ot ,two Wltnesses.

end of the valvestem exposed; e, Weight which s movable independently ofthe valve but which, when the bottle Stands normally upright will serveto press the valve to its seat; a top Cap closing the month of thebottle and capable of L rotary mox'fement, and means connecting betweenthe top cap and the upper encl of the valve Stem.

JOHN L. SELLAR.

tnesses z G. FERD. VOGT, CEAS. B. MANN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of IPatents,

Washington, D. C.

